More Lake Forest Residents Soon May Be Eligible for Affordable Housing Sites

More may be able in the coming weeks to benefit from potential affordable housing sites within the city.

At Monday night's City Council meeting, city leaders approved the first reading of an ordinance which has been recommended by the that would amend its code on inclusionary housing, adding a definition of “moderate housing.” This would allow more flexibility in determining who future affordable housing units could go to.

The amendment comes in response to comments from many Lake Forest residents during last year’s discussions about , a proposed affordable housing development, which was voted down by the City Council in late 2010. In that case, the required income level would have excluded many residents for whom the initiative was specifically intended.

“There was concern that the range of incomes that the units would target would not meet the needs of the community,” explained Cathy Czerniak, Lake Forest Community Development director.

If the project had gone forward, residents would have been required to earn 60 percent of the median income for the Chicago area, which was just more than $75,000 for 2010-11.

Since then, city leaders have taken into account that the median income for Lake Forest residents is considerably higher than that of the entire Chicago area. Czerniak said in an email that the city has not yet received the most up-to-date data released from the 2010 Census on median income. However, the last estimate for Lake Forest median income the city received from the American Communities Survey was $150,670.

As a result, many residents who are in need of affordable housing in Lake Forest would not have qualified for future affordable housing sites.

The city’s affordable housing initiative is intended to give priority to Lake Forest’s seniors, families, and employees of local institutions.

The addition of moderate housing to the city’s code will increase the percentage of area median income from 60 percent to 80 percent for affordable housing to also include 80 percent to 120 percent.

“We can more appropriately focus these units to people in need within the community,” Czerniak said.

The amendment to the inclusionary housing code has been approved by the city’s Plan Commission.

First Ward Alderman Catherine Waldeck previously served on the Plan Commission when it developed Lake Forest’s comprehensive plan.

“Our comprehensive plan includes affordable housing for seniors,” she said.

The Housing Trust Committee, which is assigned with identifying potential affordable housing sites within the city, will refine the language to the amended ordinance and bring it back to the city council for approval.